Read Online Strangers at Dawn by Elizabeth Thornton - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Thornton
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Perhaps you’re offering to marry me? Can you afford me, Max? Speak now, or forever hold your peace.”
At these words, Max’s cynicism rose in his throat like bile. He couldn’t believe how completely she had taken him in. He’d thought she was different, and she was just like every woman he had ever known. They didn’t see men aspeople, but as bank ledgers, and the larger the balance, the more a man rose in their esteem.
When her stare-faltered and her eyes slid away from his, a niggling doubt began to demolish his anger. If she wanted to get rid of him, she was going the right way about it. Maybe he was being too hard on her. She was a female, and she had far more to lose than he did if she followed her heart.
“Sara,” he chided, “forget these mercenary ambitions. Take a chance on me. Give us both time to get to know each other. That’s all I ask.”
She sighed. “It’s just as I thought. You can’t afford me, can you? And you’re not offering marriage either, are you, Max?”
“No to both questions,” he snapped. He got to his feet and stared down at her bent head with undisguised contempt. “Then all that remains to be said is to offer you my felicitations on your forthcoming marriage.”
Her eyes did not meet his. “Thank you.”
Max had hardly quit the room when that niggling doubt blossomed into a full-blown suspicion and finally a conviction. She’d deliberately picked a quarrel with him just to get rid of him. There was no betrothed. If there had been, she would have told him when he’d examined her left hand and found it ringless.
She was a coward, that’s what she was, and that’s all she was. Something extraordinary had happened between them in that room, but the lady was too craven to admit it.
He was tempted to return and have it out with her, but he heard the key turn in the lock and knew that no words of his could persuade her to open the door to him.
Coward, he said under his breath. Fortunately for the lady, he had enough courage for both of them. It wasn’t over yet.
His next thought erased his smile. Deirdre. He had an unpleasant duty to perform, and the sooner it was over, thesooner he could direct all his energies to solving his problems with Sara.
S ARA WAITED TILL SHE HEARD MAX’S STEPS RECEDING along the corridor before she moved away from the door. The window was her next object. Only when it was closed and secured did her heart begin to slow. She retreated to her straight-backed chair and wrapped her arms around her shivering body. She felt weak and shaken. She couldn’t believe how close she’d come to throwing everything away.
Sara, take a chance on me.
No! No! No! That could only lead to disaster.
When he’d lit the candle and she’d seen at once that he was a Corinthian, she’d thought she’d had a lucky escape. She despised fops, whatever they called themselves. But she’d had to admit that, fop or not, he was a princely creature, princely and gracious and kind. Her imagination hadn’t done him justice, but she’d been right about the laughter lines around his eyes and the kind smile.
And she’d been right about the steel in him as well.
Tenacious, he’d called himself, and he hadn’t exaggerated. He wouldn’t have been satisfied until he had dragged all her secrets out of her. Max Worthe was a dangerous man, and she hoped to God she never saw him again.
Sara, take a chance on me.
She looked at the bed and a shiver passed over her. She couldn’t begin to explain what had happened in that bed, but it clearly demonstrated a glaring lack in her character. It was demeaning; it was degrading; it was … the most beautiful experience she’d ever had in her life.
That was one of her failings. She’d never been able to lie to herself. And the truth was, she was in mortal danger of losing everything, everything she’d staked her life on.
She stared at that bed for a long, long time, then suddenly rising, she moved quickly around the room,
At these words, Max’s cynicism rose in his throat like bile. He couldn’t believe how completely she had taken him in. He’d thought she was different, and she was just like every woman he had ever known. They didn’t see men aspeople, but as bank ledgers, and the larger the balance, the more a man rose in their esteem.
When her stare-faltered and her eyes slid away from his, a niggling doubt began to demolish his anger. If she wanted to get rid of him, she was going the right way about it. Maybe he was being too hard on her. She was a female, and she had far more to lose than he did if she followed her heart.
“Sara,” he chided, “forget these mercenary ambitions. Take a chance on me. Give us both time to get to know each other. That’s all I ask.”
She sighed. “It’s just as I thought. You can’t afford me, can you? And you’re not offering marriage either, are you, Max?”
“No to both questions,” he snapped. He got to his feet and stared down at her bent head with undisguised contempt. “Then all that remains to be said is to offer you my felicitations on your forthcoming marriage.”
Her eyes did not meet his. “Thank you.”
Max had hardly quit the room when that niggling doubt blossomed into a full-blown suspicion and finally a conviction. She’d deliberately picked a quarrel with him just to get rid of him. There was no betrothed. If there had been, she would have told him when he’d examined her left hand and found it ringless.
She was a coward, that’s what she was, and that’s all she was. Something extraordinary had happened between them in that room, but the lady was too craven to admit it.
He was tempted to return and have it out with her, but he heard the key turn in the lock and knew that no words of his could persuade her to open the door to him.
Coward, he said under his breath. Fortunately for the lady, he had enough courage for both of them. It wasn’t over yet.
His next thought erased his smile. Deirdre. He had an unpleasant duty to perform, and the sooner it was over, thesooner he could direct all his energies to solving his problems with Sara.
S ARA WAITED TILL SHE HEARD MAX’S STEPS RECEDING along the corridor before she moved away from the door. The window was her next object. Only when it was closed and secured did her heart begin to slow. She retreated to her straight-backed chair and wrapped her arms around her shivering body. She felt weak and shaken. She couldn’t believe how close she’d come to throwing everything away.
Sara, take a chance on me.
No! No! No! That could only lead to disaster.
When he’d lit the candle and she’d seen at once that he was a Corinthian, she’d thought she’d had a lucky escape. She despised fops, whatever they called themselves. But she’d had to admit that, fop or not, he was a princely creature, princely and gracious and kind. Her imagination hadn’t done him justice, but she’d been right about the laughter lines around his eyes and the kind smile.
And she’d been right about the steel in him as well.
Tenacious, he’d called himself, and he hadn’t exaggerated. He wouldn’t have been satisfied until he had dragged all her secrets out of her. Max Worthe was a dangerous man, and she hoped to God she never saw him again.
Sara, take a chance on me.
She looked at the bed and a shiver passed over her. She couldn’t begin to explain what had happened in that bed, but it clearly demonstrated a glaring lack in her character. It was demeaning; it was degrading; it was … the most beautiful experience she’d ever had in her life.
That was one of her failings. She’d never been able to lie to herself. And the truth was, she was in mortal danger of losing everything, everything she’d staked her life on.
She stared at that bed for a long, long time, then suddenly rising, she moved quickly around the room,
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